Better to hunt on fields for health unbought
Than fee the doctor for a nauseous draught.
The wise, for cure, on exercise depend;
God never made his work for man to mend.
—­Dryden

Examination

A boy should be examined by his family physician before
going to camp in order that he may receive the greatest
good from the camp life and be safeguarded from physical
excess. An examination blank like that shown on
the next page is used in many of the large camps.
When the boy arrives in camp the physician or physical
director examines the boy. Take his height, weight,
lung capacity, condition of heart, lungs, condition
of muscles, whether hard, medium or soft, and state
of digestion. For this purpose you will need
a wet spirometer, measuring rod, stethoscope and platform
scales. A second blank with carbon duplicate,
is kept of every boy.

[Illustration: Wisconsin Boys’ Camp Physical
Examination Record]

Give dates of first examination on arrival and final
examination before departure from camp. The original
is given to the boy to take home and the carbon copy
is retained by the camp, filed in alphabetical order.
Most remarkable gains have been made by boys, particularly
in lung capacity, height, and hardening of muscles.
The active life of the camp is not conducive as a
rule to great gain in weight.

Each tent leader should be given the important facts
of the examinations of the boys in his tent, so that
there may be intelligent cooperation between the physician,
or physical director, the tent leader, and the boy
in securing health efficiency.

Averagephysicaltypesforboysof 5 to 16 years
(Compiled from the measurements of 5,476 school children.)